No, I'm the Tammy that is a Doula. Are you thinking of Tammy Smith in Wasilla?

Possibly. All I know is that one of the sites I searched had about 10 different towns listed on it and she was the only midwife in all of those towns. It was an oddly set up website.

Anyway, thanks for the info about New Life to the other PP.

Me, DS, and DD Grateful to the baby I lost for sticking around long enough to teach me what I needed to know so badly We love our forest valley home, our goats and chickens, and wild harvested food-medicine

Tammy - I've heard that too. When I worked at one of the clinics at ANMC it was interesting to hear how hard they try to keep their rate down. Funny when there's a financial incentive to have lower costs it suddenly happens.

Anchorage moms: If you were to go into labor in Anchorage and had to go just show up at one of the hospitals there (or some facility that takes KidCare, anyway), where would you go?

I'm actually planning to give birth in Homer, but will likely be making a one day trip to Anchorage when I'm 38 weeks pregnant, and I want to have a backup plan in case that happens to be the day. The big hospitals with high c-section rates scare me!

mckittre - Well technically if you show up at Alaska Native hospital in active labor they cant turn you away native or not... and they do have some of the lowest c/s rates in ak but they might hassle you about it.

Does it have to be a hospital? could you show up at a birthing center if needed or is that out for some reason>?

I don't think the birth centers would let you deliver without being under their care. ANMC would have to see you (actually all hospitals do) and will bill DKC; you might be encouraged to go somewhere else. At prov you would most likely get a private room. I've never been to AK regional's L&D. Most hospitals will bill DKC anyway so don't worry about that. About half of all births in Alaska are paid for that way.

I heard from one of the RN's at Providence they are preparing for a 50% c-section rate and are going to be building a surgical suite on the L&D floor!!!

Spread the word!

The rate is already just above 50%...the "official" rate is 35-ish but they get around that by "not counting" repeat sections! BTW, Prov has two operating rooms built into the current L&D area, so building a surgical suite upstairs would not be shocking!

The rate is already just above 50%...the "official" rate is 35-ish but they get around that by "not counting" repeat sections! BTW, Prov has two operating rooms built into the current L&D area, so building a surgical suite upstairs would not be shocking!